Far-Ums

The Far-Ums is the fictional counterpart to the IRL Forum. It is a vast entertainment network spaced throughout the BrikVerse and housed in a series of interconnected pocket dimensions. The network broadcasts 24 hours a day to viewscreens in every known part of the universe, an uninterrupted all-in-one amusement package. Live news feeds covering groundbreaking teknologies, politikal conferences, and (most importantly) battle reports relay the events of the universe to its citizens. Drama and action shows develop their plotlines continuously for viewers with a taste for something more fictional. The Far-Ums are interactive, as well, allowing reality junkies who want to know more to delve deeper into their chosen subject matter and some viewers to interact directly with one another to discuss various topics of interest. Thousands of subcultures have developed as a result and communication in the BrikVerse is now handled almost exclusively through the Far-Ums. Games, television, movies, literature, music, art, companionship...all these and a whole host of other activities and interests await an enterprising Far-Ums user.

Contents

Far-Ums Characteristics

The Far-Ums databanks and computer processing systems are bleeding edge technology, almost sentient in their capabilities (an idealized differentiation from the IRL Forum, whose basic search engine couldn't find itself). Far-Ums Stations are tied in everywhere, with eyes in every region of important space. Nothing happens without their noticing it and the systems react far more quickly than its operators when new developments arise, often getting the feed up and running and the subscriptions tallied before the first shot of a battle is ever fired. There are even rumors that Stations have access to incredible abilities, such as Time Travel, and have used those abilities to secure their positions and generally make life more...interesting for the rest of the universe. The rumors are, of course, unsubstantiated but it cannot be denied that the Far-Ums is the single most profitable venture in the entire universe...possibly the MultiVerse (as viewers can buy upgrades to their subscription packages that grant them access to specialized channels broadcast from alternate dimensions). Those resources can accomplish an awful lot and conspiracy theories abound.

Far-Ums Inhabitants

Station Employees

Station workers, from managers to janitors, are the most common visitors to the pocket dimensions. They fulfill an astonishing variety of tasks and, given the infinite variety of the universe with which they interact so intimately, it would probably take quite awhile to list them all. Some Station workers travel from Station to Station, others remain in the same one their entire lives and many choose to live in the arcologies provided by Far-Ums Administrators. It's a good job, by all accounts, with job security by way of redundancy.

Administrators

Admins and Mods are the ruling elite of the Far-Ums. Some are public figures, the faces of the general organization, but many are hidden, shadowy manipulators. Each has a special agenda.

Farcasters

Farcasters are the field operatives, the agents and reporters, of the Far-Ums. They range the MultiVerse, looking for the next awesome story, battle, or deal to be narrated or made. Farcasters are anything but unbiased and fair, often doing their damnedest to push their own agendas. If this includes participating in a battle or using whatever powers he has at his disposal against the subjects of his report, a Farcaster usually has no hesitation in doing so. Entire subcultures have sprung up around crowd favorite casters or groups of casters, such as the Action News Team (for their bullshit heroics), the Fawkes News Group (for their extremely prejudiced rants), or the people behind the Wikiker's Guide to the BrikVerse (for their encyclopedic knowledge base and the extremes they'll go to to expand it). Each Farcaster is, essentially, unless he's joined a larger group of contributors, an independent agent. He does it for the love of the work because it sure as hell isn't for the pay. Something about this everyman disposition has catapulted several casters to celebrity status. Many Humans and some of their SigFigs are Farcasters.

Far-Ums Connections

Each of the Far-Ums pocket dimensions is interconnected to every other one. It is possible to travel instantaneously to any part of the MultiVerse (at least, where the Far-Ums maintains offices) simply by stepping through a door or into an elevator. If anyone ever knew how best to take advantage of the BrikVerse's broken spacetime continuum and the massive Koincidence floating about in the universe, it would be who ever the hell is behind the Far-Ums.

Notable Far-Ums Characters and Locations

Humans and their SigFigs are the mega-celebrities of the Far-Ums. Whole channels are dedicated to each personality and their opinions carry vast politikal and social weight in the BrikVerse. Some are in possession of ultimate power in the universe.